Now it will not lock when turned to the left, and if turned to the middle and key removed, it now makes the front windows go down.

Until I become brave/silly enough to stick this vRS convenience ECU in to get remote locking (if I can at all?) I'm locking/unlocking using my passenger door - grrr!

Much I can do by removing the door card and investigating?

I'm sorry fella, can't help but

I would take the outside handle off and have a look at the lock barrell

Yeah no need to take the door card off the lock barrell comes out from the outside.

Yeah no need to take the door card off the lock barrell comes out from the outside.

Never touched the door handles ever, so it's new territory for me. Not much of my car is new territory.

Maybe you can try out the trusty angle-grinder for this project too???

If it is the barrel you could just swap the barrels from the driver and passenger doors.

Easy to get the panels off, if the lock is functioning as you say I'd suspect the connecting rod has come off.

Watch the bits of plastic when you take the panels off. Got to have mine off this week so might even do a guide for you if you want

There isnt a connecting rod as such between the barrel and lock.

What usually happens is the clip breaks on the barrel itself and destructs.

Yes, that's what happened on my 01 Polo which I would imagine is much the same.

I was able to pick the broken pieces out and reassemble what remained and it worked fine apart from the lock didn't spring back to the upright position when you locked the door.

Everything comes apart quite easily. A bit harder to reassemble because of the spring. Believe there is a VAG tool to help. This can be substituted with a logical approach and some patience...

This can be substituted with a logical approach and some patience...

Have a bit of the latter, none of the former.

Any decent workshop manual will tell you how to repair the door lock.

Any decent workshop manual will tell you how to repair the door lock.

This is true. and thanks